Independence Day: Limited Edition DVD Review

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Title: Independence Day: Limited Edition

Region: One

Genre: Sci-Fi Action

Stars: Will Smith, Jeff Goldblum, Mary McDowell, Judd Hirsch, Margaret Colin, Randy Quaid, Robert Loggia, James Rebhorn, and Harvey Fierstein

Writers: Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich

Director: Roland Emmerich

Theatrical Version Feature Length: 145 minutes

Special Edition Feature Length: 153 minutes

Extras: Audio Commentary By Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich, Audio Commentary By Special Effects Supervisors Volker Engel and Doug Smith, Inside Look: The Day After Tomorrow Sizzle Reel

Languages: English Dolby Digital 5.1 and French and Spanish Language Dolby Surround 2.0 Sound

Subtitles: English Captions and Spanish Subtitles

Packaging: Amaray Keep Case

Theatrical Version Chapter Stops: 54

Special Edition Chapter Stops: 56

Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound and Dolby Surround Sound

Year of Theatrical Release: 1996/DVD Release: 2004

Theatrical Distributor: Twentieth Century Fox

Home Video Distributor: Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment

MPAA Rating: PG-13

Reviewer: Mark A. Rivera

Twentieth Century Fox has re-released the single-disc version of the 1996 sci-fi action hit, “Independence Day” as a limited edition tie-in to Director Roland Emmerich’s recently released feature film “The Day After Tomorrow.”

Upon loading the first DVD disc into my player there is fabulous animation depicting the huge "City Destroyer" saucers departing the mother ship and heading towards the Earth. Then we are at the scene where the White House is about to be vaporized and the DVD will default and begin playing the "Special Edition" of the film if left idle. Once a choice between the "Theatrical" or "Special" Edition is made, we can hear character dialogue from the film as the White House is destroyed as in the film.

The picture quality on both versions of Independence Day is excellent. There are no video noise, grain, or compression artifacts. The picture is sharp and vibrant with good skin tones and no color bleeding and deep blacks for contrast. Both versions of "Independence Day" are presented in a 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen aspect ratio.

The sound is out of this world with nice delineation and surround for the various effects and dialogue to bring the viewing experience as close to the theatrical experience as possible for home video users. The sound choices are English Dolby Digital 5.1 and French and Spanish Language Dolby Stereo Surround 2.0 Tracks with English Captions and Closed Captions and Spanish Language Subtitles encoded as options.

The feature length commentary track by Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich is the exact same one from the previous Five Star Collection DVD set released back in 2000. Their commentary is enjoyable to listen to because they sound like they are enjoying the experience themselves, but it is not as scene specific or detailed as one might think. A second audio commentary track exclusive to the DVD edition features special effects supervisors Volker Engel and Doug Smith giving a very interesting and more screen specific technical commentary articulating how the amazing special effects for "Independence Day" were created. Hearing these professionals discuss their craft and the creative solutions they found for the challenges they encountered is inspiring.

When selecting the audio commentary track or language track you want to listen to you have to go directly to the languages and subtitles menu, which is made to be a three dimensional shift into Judd Hirsch's character's car where we stop at Jeff Goldblum's character's Macintosh Powerbook to make the selection. It is important to note that this is the only way to switch between language and commentary tracks. Switches using the audio button on your remote will not work and the Special Effects Supervisors commentary with Volker Engel and Doug Smith is only available if you watch the "Special Edition." Subtitle switching while watching the film is possible. The chapter stop menu features fully animated scenes on the bridge of the alien mother ship.

The featurette dubbed “Inside Look: The Day After Tomorrow Sizzle Reel” is anything but sizzling. If anything it is little more than a glorified trailer running only just over two-minutes and featuring the same clips shown on television. There is a Free Movie Money Coupon good for up to $6.50 to see “The Day After Tomorrow” at participating theaters.

If you already have “Independence Day” on DVD there is no reason to buy this release. If you don’t have it, you can purchase “Independence Day: Limited Edition” on DVD-Video now at retailers on and offline from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment.

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